When Trevor Slaughter isn’t managing production at AE Smith’s Brisbane factory, he’s planning how he’ll become a world record breaker

Trevor’s working toward being the next man to break the world land speed record for a wheel driven car in a vehicle he’s designed and constructed himself in his very own backyard.

“It’s been a dream 30 years in the making,” says Trevor, who was inspired by a meeting with the Australian record holder Donald Campbell at the tender age of ten. “Something just clicked when I met him and I’ve been working towards it ever since.”

With the help of a few mates, construction of a 9.4 metre long, 1 metre wide and 800 mm high wheel driven vehicle has taken nearly six years. Testing will begin February this year on Lake Gairdner SA and later Bonneville USA.

“More men have been to the moon than over 400 mph on earth,” said Trevor.

“But we’ll be going for a new world record. The goal is to reach 500 mph (or 800 kmph) to beat a world record that currently stands at 458 mph. It’s very doable and something that’s kept me focused all this time.”

“The engine (originally from a Chinook helicopter and needs rebuilding after 50 hours of running) is a T55L11C turbine with approximately 5000HP. That’s more than eight times one F1 car,” said Trevor.

computer generated image of beautiful dark red long vehicle inside a empty warehouse
“Having full telemetry on the car there is only one instrument in the drivers compartment. There is a huge amount of data collection on the car, in fact more than is allowed on a F1 car. The instruments monitor all aspects of the cars performance, actions and attitude. As the rules dictate there is NO electronic control of any aspect of the car such as traction control.”

“The run is over the measured mile, bi directional and will be proceeded by a five mile run up. At speed the car will cover a mile in less that 14 seconds or a kilometre in under nine seconds.” add Trevor.

Follow Trevor’s progress toward his world record attempt at www.slaughtermotorsport.com